Prospective art buyers peruse the hundreds of original works on sale at last year’s Art4Shelter event

This coming Wednesday night people will flock to Burnet Gallery in downtown Minneapolis to buy art.

There they will be treated to over 1000 original works of art on paper, all priced at the incredibly reasonable $30 each.

Granted the works are small – 5×7 inches – but many of them will be by well known artists such as Alec Soth, Andrea Stanislav, and Paul Shambroom. However signatures will be on the back of the artwork, so buyers will have to buy according to taste, not reputation – and isn’t that the way it should be?

Art4Shelter is the brain child of artist Megan Rye, inspired by a similar fundraiser in New York City. The first year the event was held at Circa Gallery, and the art flew off the walls in just minutes. Rye says the price point is important:

At $30 for each piece of artwork, and no entry fee, almost everyone would feel welcome to attend. Homelessness and poverty are universal concerns, and our goal is to involve and educate as many people as possible.

One of the works of art on sale this year at Art4Shelter

So the shelter gets $30,000, and art lovers get great art at a more than reasonable price. But what do the artists get out of it?

Artists are the most compassionate people I know. Their generosity makes this event possible. One artist said to me, “I could never write a $1000 check. But by making 33 pieces of artwork, I am able to contribute that much to a homeless shelter.”

In addition, Rye says contributing artists are listed on the Art4Shelter website, with links to their websites.

Art4Shelter takes place this Wednesday night at Burnet Gallery in downtown Minneapolis. People can peruse the art from 5-7pm; the sale begins at 7pm.